Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real {October collages}

~PRETTY~

I brought these pumpkin-hued flowers home from the grocery store last week while my mom was still here.  She arranged them beautifully on my kitchen table.  As I walked past them one afternoon, I was momentarily amazed at their subtle color variance and the unique beauty in every single petal.  




~HAPPY~

Last Saturday's 8 am soccer game was windy and chilly despite the sunshine.   ZJ played well.  He is learning to be more aggressive (like he is in our backyard soccer games) but is still afraid of getting "carded".  My uber-competitive husband can barely contain himself on the sidelines!  ZJ has more of my competitive spirit which included apologizing to other players if I ran into them on the basketball court.  (After my 6th grade coach yelled at me for that I decided to go out for cheerleading!)  Meanwhile, RW and KC had their own fun playing in the treeline behind the game.  Luckily, no one ended up in the creek but I was just waiting for it to happen.


~FUNNY~

Please don't laugh but I truly did bring down my Christmas tree this week.  Notice the missing lights?  After an hour of scratching up my forearms trying to get them re-lit I gave up and am hoping my hubby can find the missing/broken strand.  And, yes, it is waaayyyy too early to decorate for Christmas but I have my reasons: 
1.  I have about 15 people coming for Thanksgiving dinner this year and I know that will occupy most of late November.
2.  I have determined to be prepared for Christmas long before Christmas Eve when we leave to fly "back home" for Christmas.  Advent is meant to be a time of spiritual preparation and this year I hope to have time for that!
3.  Elizabeth Foss said something on a Faith and Family Live podcast that I have taken to heart.  As Catholics we are meant to wait to decorate for Christmas until after the four weeks of austere Advent preparation.  Elizabeth, a mother of nine who knows these things, said that she would never wait to prepare for the birth of a baby until after the baby arrives.  Just as we prepare the nursery, the layette and the family for the arrival of a newborn, I am also preparing my home and life well in advance for the arrival of Baby Jesus so that I may truly rest and enjoy the miracle in the weeks and days before it actually happens. 




~REAL~ 

Look where my husband  got  had to go for work this week.  Newport, Rhode Island.  And while he assures me that it is all work and no play, I am happy he is able to see such beauty out the window of his hotel room.  He says I must accompany him next year so Mom, mark your calendar!  We'll need a babysitter.  :)